Stronger
by SailorGnat
Summary: This is a story of Emmett's human life. I didn't have much from the books so I will be making most stuff up. I don't own anything.
1. Preface

**Preface**

I was bent down in a bush. Waiting for him to arrive.

I flashed back to what my father had told me so very long ago, "Just remember, Emmet, I will always be proud of you."

Though it was almost sunset the world was alive around me, the light from the setting sun making the forest I was in dance with shades of jade and emerald.

I was on a mission, but I had to wait for the right time to come out. I looked through the bushes every once in a while to see if he was there.

I was tired and the sun was going down; I couldn't stay much longer.

Then, I saw what I was looking for through the leaves.

I stayed still and quiet in the forest that surrounded me. Not making the smallest sound, for he would here me.

I waited and just as the sun was setting, glinting off his pitch black eyes, I jumped in for the kill.


	2. A Sad Beginning

**A Sad Beginning**

I looked into the dark, taunting brown eyes of my pet. Then, I jumped, hoping to outsmart him. I landed on my face while my dog was suddenly three feet away from me.

I looked up into the sky blue eyes of my laughing maid and she told me, "Emmet, my boy, you're going to hurt yourself someday. You think you're a fifty foot man, but you are only a small five year-old boy. Now go dust off your pants."

"Yes, ma'am," I replied happily. So what if I was five. Father said someday I would be a big man, unstoppable, too. I believed him.

My father was a hunter. He was often gone on hunting trips, this was one of those days he was gone from dawn to dusk.

When I turned three, he got me a dog to keep me busy while he was gone. That was also the year I lost my mother. She was a wonderful lady, my father says, but I don't remember her much.

"She was very ill," Father said. I do remember that I sat by her every day she was in the hospital.

But on that last day I saw her, a man with pale skin, gold eyes, and light blonde hair came in to see her. He told me to run along for a while. I climbed into her bed, gave her a small kiss on her cheek, and smiled widely. "I love you Mommy," was the last thing I told her.

I couldn't forget those eyes though. The doctor's eyes would haunt me in my dreams for many years to come.

I snapped back to reality. I went and got a new pair of shorts on and went to tell Annabelle, our maid, I was going outside to play with the other kids.

I heard a gunshot and started running toward the source. I found Annabelle there on the floor. I thought she was sleeping, but when Father came home he said she would be asleep forever.

That was the evening we I lost the only thing close to a mother I had ever had.


	3. Painful Memories

**Painful Memories**

I was seven. I was tough. Ever since I had lost my Annabelle I changed. I was a fighter.

My father had taught me to hunt in the times he was home since her death. He told me I needed self defense. I did it everyday, pretending each one of the animals I killed was the murderer of my maid. My Annabelle, memories were slipping away from me about her, just like those of my mother.

No, I shook my head. "Get back to now, Emmet," I thought to myself. "The past is the past, you can't change it." But that didn't mean I didn't miss her.

I went home to an empty house. I sighed at the note. "Dad is probably gone now," I said to myself. Father left unexpectedly a lot, leaving me alone with Buster, my four year old dog.

I skinned my catch and cooked it. As I was eating I let my mind drift.

"_But poppa!" I said._

"_No, son. Doctor says not to go in." His glare was nasty and got me to be quiet._

_I wanted to go in the white doors of the hospital so bad, to see my mother once more._

_The strange doctor can out and pulled my father aside. They talked for a while in hushed voices. They alternated between looking at the white doors behind where Momma lay, and me sitting quietly on the bench pretending not to notice them. _

_They went into another room, and I took this as my chance._

_I got up and ran through the double doors to see my mother._

_The scene before me was shocking. There she was, my mother, but pale. She didn't have the usual twinkle in her eye when she looked at me. _

"_You shouldn't be in here, son," she said, with a feather light voice. Then she started coughing wildly, and before I knew it she was unconscious from the coughing. _

_I crawled up next to her and closed my eyes, pretending she was ok._

_Before I knew it the man with pale skin, gold eyes, and light blonde hair came in to see her. He told me to run along for a while. I climbed into her bed, gave her a small kiss on her cheek, and smiled widely. "I love you Mommy," was the last thing I told her._

I snapped back to reality and cringed from the pain induced from the memory. I couldn't handle the pain.

I went to bed and dream painful but happier dreams of my younger years.

Picnics with Annabelle, wrestling Buster, star gazing with Mother, drawing pictures at school. The last thing I remembered thinking that night was anger that my childhood had been forcefully ripped away from me.


	4. Author's Note

**Author's Note**

**YAYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!! I got reviews!!!!!!!!**

**Thanks to everyone who reviewed(so what if there were only three different people...)**

**I just got back from vacation yesterday at three-thirty AM then today I read the reveiws and i was all happy!!!!!!**

**But i am happy that 1 out of the 5 i got was not one of my friends. YYYYAAAAYYYY!!!!!**

**Huggsss to bullwolf238!!!! I hope i will be hearing from you more!!**

**Thanks to my friend peaceloveandtwilight for reviewing soooooo sweetly. Love you for that!!!!! HUUUUGSSSS**

**And thanks to sprinkledwithtwilight, don't worry i will make my chapters longer i just wanted some history first than i will go into the longer things.**

**I am hoping to get the next chapter up by the end of the week... but i don't know.**

**Thanks for reviewing, and for anyone else reading this story REVIEW!!!!!!**


	5. Taking the Road Less Traveled By

**Hi there i know its like the fifth chapter and all, but this is my first author's note in a chapter. Sorry about all the others. I just kept forgeting to do one. Anyhoo, this is where it gets... well I can't just tell you can I... You'll just have to read amd find out!!!!!!! Muhahahahahahaha!!!!!!!!!**

**SM owns all characters unless I make some up, those would be mine.**

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**Comforts**

It had been five years since Annabelle's death. I was ten years old.

I was still tough at home. A hard shell no one could break. But at school, it was like I was a different person. I had found a way to ease the pain.

I was funny.

I would crack jokes during class, to funny things with my food during lunch, and was just a total fool during recess. My father probably wouldn't even recognize me.

School was fun for me. I wasn't that good at all the subjects but when it came to gym, I was an ace in the hole. I loved sports and the competition that came with it. Being the strongest, it was always easy for me. Especially running. I loved to run but I didn't join the cross-country team because I was scared. I was scared of my father.

If he found out, I don't even know what would happen to me.

I figured it was time to find out. I joined the team and climbed all the way to the top. My mother would have been proud of me, doing what I wanted to do and not caring what my father would say.

I got medals, and trophies, such big trophies for winning. I trained whenever I could. Running down the road, jogging home from the forest, or sprinting around the streets.

I had to hide my trophies though. It wasn't all that hard to though. My father was hardly ever home. Either out hunting or at the pub, he had taken to drinking in the past few years.

But that was what terrified me the most. He had hurt me before, when he was drunk. It was horrible just wondering if he would come home, see the medals, and kill me.

I stayed on the team though. They needed me. The team hadn't won many meets in the time that the school had been there.

There was also another reason I stayed. It was one of the only places I could be me. Without anyone judging me for who I was. I could remember the memories that would otherwise haunt me in any other situation.

This was my sanctuary. My relief after a long day of terror and sacredness. This was my place to shine.

I was on the team until one day… he was there.

My father was at my final track meet of the year. I didn't know what he would say if he saw my there.

I was at a crossroad in my life. One way showed me running away from it all, my father, the team, and going home to be the obedient little hunter/son my father thought I was. The another showed me running but not getting first, second, or third, letting my team down, but escaping my father's wrath. The last and smallest trail showed me winning, my team so proud of me, but going home to my father.

There was fear in the first, slight cowardice in the second but the braveness coming from the last road, and the happiness that would come with it was what made me choose the smallest road. The road that was slimmest and was the scariest was the road I was taking.

"Never back down," the hope within me whispered. "Show him what you can do."

I was ready then. After five minutes the racers were lined up. The starter yelled, "On your mark." I got into position. "Get set!" He raised the gleaming pistol into the air. "Go!" there was a bang and I shot off.

This was the five mile run. I had won plenty of these before. Already I knew I was the most experienced runner within the final group, so I knew to take it easy at first. All of the others were a good fifty feet in front of me.

All my troubles melted as I ran, on and on, faintly hearing the crowed wildly urging me on.

I visibly saw the other runners tiring down near the last mile. Seeing this I sped up passing them all. I was 100 feet from the finish. 75...50...45...40...every passing foot gave me more and more exuberance. Then I heard him.

"Go Emmett!!!!!" came the voice of his father.

Hearing this I did what no runner was supposed to do.

I turn my head. And as I did my feet tangled and I fell. I felt the bones breaking. I didn't know which ones but they were.

I didn't even registered the pain yet. I was still in shock of what my father had said. Then I faintly heard the person on the loudspeaker speak, "And runner one, Emmet McCarthy, has fallen, but wait look at this. He has almost crossed the line. Just a few feet. If only he could get across the line before the other runners catch up. Why don't we cheer him one ladies and gentlemen."

I heard everyone in the crowd start yelling my name. I found a will in me. It was enough to look over that I was injured. I got on my hands and knees, a shooting pain raced through my left arm and leg. I collapsed, gasping at the throbbing pain.

I pushed aside the pain and remember the happy memories of Annabelle, Buster, and the faint ones of my mother. I knew they would be there, if they were alive, cheering me on too. That gave me strength to get up again.

I crawled over the line.

The loudspeaker shouted, "He has done it! He has won the race!!!" Then the pain caught up to me and I blacked out.

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_**I know, I know, you hate me for the cliffy but you see, I just HAD to. Get ready to meet the good side of a mean daddy... or will I do something else? Only I know!!!! muhahahahahahaha!!!!!!!!!**_

_**Sprinkledwithtwilight hows that for a long chapter? Good enough for you?? JK. I know it wasn't all that long though.**_

_**REVEIW!!!!!!!!!!!!! PLEASE?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?! thanks!!!! ;-)**_


	6. Waking Up

**Ok heres the deal, I have a good explaination for not posting in over a week. I went to a week-long sailing regatta, in other words I was racing a sail boat. I'm really sorry, I should have told you guys that I was leaving. :(**

**But I'm back now so we're good. **

**Thanks to Blackanese121 and TwilightxFanpire961 for putting my story on their Alert list.**

**And thanks to those that are reading and reviwing. And for people who are just reading please review!**

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**Waking Up**

**Emmett's father's POV**

I went to the running races today simply for something to do. I had been at the pub the night before and I didn't want to go back so soon.

But one thing I didn't expect was for my son to be there. I saw him on the starting line for the serious racers. He was in the race.

Memories flooded back to me.

"_But poppa, I want to run," a younger me said._

"_I say no and that's final!" He yelled back. Than he hit me. Full on the face. My eyes watered from the searing pain of the slap. I felt something warm on my face. _

_I reached up to realize I was bleeding. All the pain turned to anger. "I hate you Poppa! I hate you!!" I screamed._

_I ran away, never looking back._

_And I never went back._

I was then I realized that I was just like him. I had hit my son. I was terrible to him. It's no wonder he was trying to keep things from me.

The shock wore off and I realized he was almost to the finish.

I started screaming encouragement to him. I looked at him when he suddenly turned his head.

Then he tripped. I heard him, my big, strong, tough, little boy, cry out in pain.

A horrible feeling rose up in me. To look at the mangled broken body is probably one of the worst things that ever happened to me.

I sat there, no even hearing the loudspeaker talking. But then, the seemingly lifeless body of my son got up on all fours.

But then putting his weight on his left side, he yelled out once again, collapsing on the ground.

He lay there on the track. The crowd as silent as a grave. Then he got a determined look on his face and got up.

The loudspeaker blared in my ears. I couldn't make out the words though. My eyes were watering in pride for him.

But then I saw him collapse again, eyes closed, barely breathing. My stomach dropped, and the tears spilled over, in horror.

**Emmett's POV**

The universe was colorful. There were reds, blues, oranges, aqua, magentas, and even some I couldn't name.

I didn't know where I was, who I was, or even what I was. All I knew was that I didn't want to leave this beautiful place.

The world was spinning around me as I marveled at the colors.

Then five little words brought me back to earth.

"Will my son be okay?" the gruff voice of my father came to me.

The world stopped spinning around me and now my feet were firmly on the earth. I listened, hoping that I looked the same as earlier.

"He should be waking up soon enough," a familiar voice replied.

"Thank you Dr… er…?" My father said.

"Cullen, and please call me Carlisle," the other voice said.

"Please, I don't want to lose him too. I won't be able to get through that also. Please, let my son live. It's hard enough without Caroline."

Caroline. That was my mother's name. I had never heard him say that. He would always drive the conversation away if anyone asked him about her… and yet here he was talking to some doctor about her.

My eyes opened in one fraction of a second, stinging from the bright lights above me.

"Dad?" I asked weakly. My voice rough from the dryness in my throat.

He turned quickly, with a look of relief on his face.

"Yes, son?"

"Where am I?"

"The hospital. Yesterday during your race you fell and broke your collar bone and bruised your tibia bone, both on the left side."

I tried to move and, like he said, felt a shooting pain go up my left side.

"Easy now," said the voice of the doctor Dad was talking to.

I looked over to where the voice had come from and was shocked at the sight I saw.

It was the doctor with golden eyes that had taken care of my mother all those years ago.

"So we meet again, Emmet. But that was what seven years ago?" He questioned.

"Yes," I replied dryly.

"He needs his rest, Mr. McCarthy," he said turning toward my father.

He came over to me then he shocked me by saying, "I love you, son." Then he left.

I fell asleep with a smile on my face.

He loved me.

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AAAAAAAAAAAWWWWWWWWWWWWW!!!!! Sorry i couldn't help myself.

How do you like this chapter? Just press the button and review with your thoughts.

In the next chapter- "What happened to her doctor? What happened to my mother?"


	7. One Big Question

**Once again I must apologize for not updating. All week I have been sailing from 8:30 AM to 5:30 PM. Nine whole hours of sailing! And another reason I didn't update was because I was sad. Sad because I only got 2 reviews so far on the last chapter. :'( I have decided that the more reviews I get per chapter the faster i will update. Happy reading!**

**I don't own anything. Not Twilight or the Dangrous Book for Boys.**

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**One Big Question**

I woke up the next day, again to the blindingly white lights above me.

I found a book by my bed with a small note on top.

I reached over to grab it, while trying not to move my left side. It was hard considering the book was to my left and I had to put my body over my arm to do it.

I got it though. I read the note on top:

_If you are reading this son then you are awake._

_I'm sorry if I wasn't here when you woke up but I had decided to clean up the house for when you come back._

_I got this book for you because I didn't think you would have much to do in the hospital._

_Have fun and I will be there soon._

_I love you,_

_Dad_

I was so happy. He said he loved me again! I would have to get used to that.

I glanced at the title. I read "_The Dangerous Book for Boys._"

With curiosity peaked, I opened the book.

The pages were filled with fun things to do, rules for games, and even tips and facts.

For hours I read on and on, finding fun things to do when I got out of the hospital.

I jumped when I heard the doctor's voice.

"What are you reading there, Emmet?" he asked.

"Oh, nothing. Just a book my father left for me."

"That was kind of him. I came in here to check on you. So, how are you feeling. Have you felt dizzy, nausea, faint, or anything?"

I shook my head. "I'm feeling just fine doc!"

"Ok, good."

He turned to leave but I needed answers before he left.

"Doctor?" I asked hesitantly.

He turned to face me once more. "Yes?" he asked.

"Would you mind if I asked you a question?" I said, getting a little more brave.

"Sure, what do you need?" he asked, curiosity in his eyes as he spoke.

"Well…I sort of wanted… to know…well…" I stammered.

An awkward silence settled over us.

"Yes?" he said, the wonder visibly laced throughout his golden eyes.

"What happened to her? What happened to my mother?"

He stared at me with a shocked expression on his face. Seemingly unable to come up with the right words.

" Please, Doctor. I have been living almost my whole life wondering what had happened to her. I can't take another minute not knowing. She was my mother, I loved her so much. Please! I NEED TO KNOW." I begged.

"Alright then," He said quietly. "I'll tell you."

As he said it, I could almost see his eyes take him back to all those years ago, when she died.

_"I had just moved here. I came from Italy, where I was…apprenticed to a wealthy doctor." I saw his hesitation in his placement of words._

_"Your mother was one of my first patients. She looked alright from afar but as soon as she got close, I saw she wasn't at all. She looked as if she were suffering. When I took her in and checked her over I noted she was having difficulty breathing, and her heart rate was way to low._

_"I did everything I could to help her, medication, manual breathing, EVERYTHING! Nothing worked. That day I talked to your father, we were talking about what we could do. I knew she wouldn't make it, though I didn't tell him that._

_"We moved into another room where we talked some more about her._

_"He said he was going to leave and that he had heard enough. I went into the room where your mother was. There I stood, just watching her. Then who should come in but you. I walked into one of the corners of the room and watched you. I heard her talk to you and how you just curled up next to her and closed your eyes._

_"I could see just by that action that you had a very close bond to your mother but I couldn't bear it if you caught whatever she had to I went over and got you up. As soon as you left she opened her eyes and said 'It was nice to see him, one last time.'_

_"Then she closed her eyes, as if to go to sleep. The heart beat monitor beeped a few more times, faltered, and fell silent. I stood silent then answering her statement I said to her unmoving figure, 'Yes it was.'"_

I sat there shocked at the truth of what he just told me. I now knew what happened to my mother. And I didn't feel any better because she wasn't hear to tell me that was what happened. Nor would she ever be.

"Thank you." I said.

Again he turned to leave.

"Thank you for trying to save her." I whispered to the now empty room.

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**How was that? Well?... Review to tell me.**

**I think I'm going to skip some time for the next chapter.**

**PLEASE REVEIW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I will put anyone NEW who reveiws name on the top of my next chapter.**

**Next chaper**

**"But how, Poppa? How can you love her?"**


	8. What is Love?

**Hey guys!! sorry I haven't updated in like a month but i was busy and then school started and no one was reveiwing. Anway, thanks to my sister who got me to write this chapter, LUV ya!!!!! Heres the chapter and please please review!!!**

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**What is Love?**

I was twelve now.

My room was full of trophies and medals from running races.

I was much closer to my father now. We played games together and he even took me hunting, a skill I took up after Annabelle died. Another good thing was he wouldn't go to the pub as much.

But there was also something else about him that was different, he seemed happier. I know I was.

These were probably the best years of my life so far.

Until I met…her.

It was a normal early fall day. School had started and homework with it.

I had just finished my reading assignment and was starting on my math when he walked in with a woman by his side.

He looked surprised to see me there.

"Oh…uh…hi there son. Um…there's someone I want you to meet." he stuttered.

He motioned toward the lady next to him. "This is Nancy."

"Oh you must be Emmet," came her high voice. "I have heard _so_ much about you!"

Her sugar-coated voice was almost sickening to me.

"How about you go to John's house to play, or to James' or Robert's?" my father told me.

On any other day, or in any other circumstance I would have agreed right away, but given the current matter, I hesitated.

"But today we were supposed to go play football with all of them, remember?" I quickly made up an excuse for him not to be alone with that woman. I didn't like her.

"Oh, honey, that's ok!" Nancy trilled. "I'll come and watch."

"Ok, I'm going to leave you two for a few minutes to get my gear." he trudged out of the room and up the stairs.

"Sooo…" I started.

"What do you want you little brat!" she whisper-yelled at me, her sweet voice gone. "Well? Spit it out you little urchin!"

I sputtered, unable to from any coherent words. I was in such a shock from it, I barely got myself together before my dad came down the stairs.

"Ok, champ, let's get going!" he said happily.

I got my three best friends to play with us.

John was a tough guy, like me. He had reddish blond hair and blue eyes. He loved to play sports. One of the reasons he was my friend. Though he wasn't as outgoing as me, he was a very friendly person.

James was always looking for a good laugh. He wasn't weak but not very muscular. He had brown hair with freckles all over his face. He loved jokes and pranks and I helped him pull them all the time. We were the two masterminds at crime.

Robert was a mix of the plus some. He had the whitest blonde hair I have EVER seen, and he was short for his age. He was a joker and sometimes a pranker. You could always count on him to do things with you.

But when they all came together, I think I liked them because they were all pieces of myself. John with his love of sports and strength, James with his good sense of humor, and Robert, well, for being Robert.

We played so it was fair my dad and myself against the others.

During a huddle I couldn't help but ask, "So where did you meet her? Nancy I mean."

I could see the confusion, then understanding, then panic rise up in his eyes. He quickly guarded his emotions, so his eyes told me nothing.

"We've been working together for a while now." I saw straight through his lie.

"Oh… do you love her?" I asked as if it didn't matter, even though right under my skin I was itching to know.

"Well, son…"

"Hey, we playing or not?" James called out.

"Oh yeah. Ok lets get ready." I shouted back to him.

We got in formation and started playing.

My dad and I won. It was close, but we won.

I said good-bye to my friends and we started walking home. Annoyingly, with Nancy also.

We strolled until we got to our little house.

"Why don't you go put this stuff up?" My dad asked.

As he said it like it was an order, not a question, I had no choice. I grabbed the football clothes and put them in the laundry room.

I saw that he left his watch, so I grabbed it to bring it back to him. But what I didn't expect was for him to be standing there in the doorway kissing her.

My mouth dropped open, and my brain faintly registered the sound of glass breaking on the floor under me. At the noise he turned away for Nancy and saw me there. We just stared for a while then a flustered Nancy breathlessly broke the silence.

"Well, I guess I should go then."

Then she left, my father and I still staring at each other.

It was his dark brown eyes against my bright blue ones. Then suddenly I was yelling.

All my feelings came back as I snapped out of my trance. Anger flooded through me.

"WHAT WERE YOU JUST DOING. YOU SAID YOU HAD JUST MET HER!!!" I screamed at him.

"Well…I um… you see…" he was clearly at a loss for words.

"WHY POPPA? JUST TELL ME WHY!!!!" I shouted.

He got mad then too. "BECAUSE I LOVE HER!" he bellowed.

I lost all my anger as he said the words. "But Poppa? How can you love her?" I asked in a quiet voice. Pain was lacing my every word.

He obviously heard it and softened up.

"But what about Mamma? You loved her too. Just because she died doesn't mean you have to go get another woman. Why poppa? Do you not love my mamma anymore?" I asked quietly.

He flinched when I said that. I knew I had hit a nerve. The sadness weaved around his eyes as I talked.

Then he finally said, "Of course I loved you mother, Emmett. She was my everything, my life, my soul, and my heart. I could never forget her, son. Never, not in a million years."

I wasn't satisfied but I decided to end the conversation there because I, Emmet McCarthy, was close to tears at that point.

"Good-night Dad." I stated simply and went upstairs to my room.

Snuggled under my blankets, I tried to pretend my mother was here holding me.

"Good night baby." she'd whisper, her voice as sweet as a flower. "Have good dreams."

"I miss you mom." I said to her non-existent figure.

"I miss you too sweetie." then she left, and the happy feeling that came with her happy personality was gone and I was over whelmed with sadness.

The tears came with no stop.

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**Sooooo, I hop you liked it. thanks for reading and(hopefully) reveiwing. Heres the deal, you reveiw, I update, capiche?**

**Next Chapter**

**This was, without a doubt the worst thing to ever happen to me.**


	9. It's the worst day ever

**I know, I know, I haven't posted in FOREVER, but I just hit writers block, then got caught up in school and stuff. So here's the next chapter, I hope it's ok to all of those who are still reading this, if you are...**

**Thanks for everything everybody, and I'm hoping to update a lot more often.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything.**

**IT'S THE WORST DAY EVER**

It had been four months of watching my father flirt with that sickeningly sweet, yet horribly evil woman. These months were some of the worst I've lived. Coming home, only to be sent to my room to be alone, or Poppa wouldn't come to my meets because 'she' couldn't stand seeing sweaty boys run. I never got to talk to my dad in private, not that I wanted to talk to him.

I had started hunting almost all the time now, pretending that each animal I shot was that evil wench Nancy. It was mean but how could I not hate the women that stole my father from me. Then things got worse.

It started out as a normal day, school, homework then packing to go out to the woods. Just as I was stepping out of the door, my father said the first words to me in days.

"Emmet, we're going out for dinner at Artie's. Go get dressed in your nice clothes," his voice was booming yet soft at the same time. I weighed my options and decided that maybe, just maybe, it would be just be him and I.

I was sort of excited, so I ran inside to change.

When I was done, I went outside and hopped into the wagon next to him. We rode the mile and a half to town quietly, but I had a big smile on my face the whole time. This was the longest he's been without Nancy in a long time.

My smile faltered when we stopped in front of a house. _She _walked out in a fancy dress, with a toothy smile, that fell when she saw me. Instantly she regained the bright smile.

"Well hello, John," she said lovingly, "Emmet." The tone of her voice changed, barely but noticeable. I nodded politely while my dad hopped down from the wagon to give her a kiss. She was staring daggers at me the whole time. Poppa then proceeded help her up into the wagon, right next to me.

"Emmet, will you sit in the back of the wagon, so Nancy can have more room?" my father's gruff voice ordered after seeing there wasn't enough room for all of us in the front.

I moved back, grumbling to myself the whole time.

The back of the wagon was a lot bumpier than the front, and I accumulated quite a few bruises from it.

When we got there, the waitress gave us a seat in the very middle. The voices and bodies crammed in the small room was making me claustrophobic. I started to feel lightheaded.

Then as dessert was served, my father tapped his glass with his spoon, so the whole restaurant fell eerily silent.

The worst thing happened then.

He got down on one knee and pulled out a small velvet box. My heart stopped.

"Nancy Smith, will you marry me?" he said tenderly, his eyes full of sincerity and longing. _NOOOOOOOOOO! _I screamed in my head!

Nancy put a hand over her heart dramatically and said "Oh, John! Yes! Yes! Yes!" She squealed, and hugged him, hopping up and down the whole time.

This was, without a doubt, the worst thing to happen to me. Or at least third on the list.

I ran out of the restaurant; nobody noticed or cared.

I ran and ran, the forest's edge to my right, when it hit me, the whole situation.

My heart was suddenly drenched and sank abruptly, my fragile, 12 ½-year-old self was breaking. All walls put up broke down. The tears started as the rain came.

Tears blurred my vision and I tripped, and felt the bones breaking just like at the track meet. But this time, there was no crowd cheering me on, my father wasn't there, and I had no reason to move forward.

I wanted to die, right then and there. Maybe I would see my mother and Annabelle. As the streaked of tears ran down my face, the lightheadedness from earlier blacked my vision and I passed out for the first time since the meet.

**Thanks for reading, and please if you didn't like it review, and if you did, review. Either way, please review.**

**In the next chapter:**

**"I HATE YOU POPPA," I screamed. "I HATE YOU AND THAT VILE WOMEN!"**


	10. No, THIS is the worst day ever

**Hi, I felt bad about not posting for so long so i wrote this one as a bonus for today. I hope you like it**

**I hearby rate this chapter "T"**

**Disclaimer - I don't own anything related to twilight. (unfortuatly)**

"Ugh." I groaned as I sat up in bed. I looked at the calendar. "Ugh!" I said again.

The big day was only two days away. Then they were going on a big trip to Maine, to rent a cabin in the mountains. When she told us, she had so much sorrow in her voice, because she "forgot" to book a cabin with more than one bedroom. She had also "forgot" that my birthday was on one of the days they would be gone.

_God my life sucks right now, _I thought glumly.

I forced my self to get out of bed, I stood up and grabbed my crutches. My mind drifted back, yet again, to that day almost 6 months ago.

_I had passed out on the side of the road running away from my father and his new fiancée. I woke up to my father yelling my name, sounding worried._

_I looked around me, and realized, with shock that the sun was only just now coming up. It had been light out when I ran away from the restaurant. They ha left me alone on the side of the road for a whole night!_

_Anger flared inside me, and I tried to stand up to run into the woods. My right leg crumpled beneath me. I gasped at the pain. _

_Like at the track meet a while back, I mustered up all of my strength and crawled away._

_In the woods, I hid, watching silently as my father passed by still yelling my name. Then and there I realized something, either I go back to him and face that wicked woman, or I could die out here with my broken leg. I weighed my options, but when I felt a burning hunger I pushed away my troubles._

_Being a hunter, I knew what to do in this situation. Make a weapon and use it to get food. Luckily I always had a knife with me._

_I gradually got used to this area of the forest, and liked it almost as much as my real home. _

_What made me come back was the burning pain in my leg, that was becoming more and more of a constant, and more painful every day I was out here._

_That and a search party found me when I cried out from trying to stand on the bad leg._

_They found me crying in a patch of mud, looking awfully._

_The first thing they did was take me to the doctor's. I didn't want to go in there, because I knew Dr. Carlisle would be there to fix me. I didn't want to see him again. I resisted, and bent my leg. The explosion of pain caused me to black out yet again._

_I woke up to a bright white room, my leg in an elevated cast, and my father's worried eyes staring down at me._

"_Emmett? Emmett! Oh, thank goodness, your finally awake!" his face lit up._

_I stared at him and said nothing, with a hard expression on my face._

_He caught my look, and his face fell to sadness. "Why did you run away?" he asked quietly._

_Not knowing what to say, I blurted the first thing that came to mind. "Why did you ask her to marry her?" It sounded snappier than I had intended._

_He looked at me with a mad expression. "Because I love her. The wedding is December 16th__, and you're coming weather you like it or not." he said firmly, but verging on the edge of yelling._

_That got me mad, and right as I was about to say something quite nasty, the doctor decided to come in._

"_Please, Mr. McCarthy, don't get Emmett worked up right now. He is in a bad state, and his body can't handle much more stress." he said quietly but firmly._

"_That's okay, because he was just leaving," I said rudely._

_He scoffed, spun on his heel, and stalked out of the room._

Things kind of went downhill from there. Poppa and I never talked to each other, not that we did much before anyway. We basically avoided each other for six months, which was fine by both of us.

The days basically blended together since my two week disappearance. Everyday was like the last. Full of loneliness, anger, and unhappiness.

The next two days were full of suit fittings, wedding rehearsals, and meeting relatives I didn't even know existed. Then the day was upon us.

We were at the church, and it was time for me to come down the aisle, with the ring pillow. This was quite difficult with the crutches, but it was eventually done.

I stood there, watching as the man told them all about marriages and all. Then he said something that got me thinking.

"Anybody who objects to this binding, speak now or forever hold your peace."

I made a split second decision, raised my hand, and said loudly, "I do."

The whole church gasped to see me, the son of the groom standing out to object to my father's marriage.

"Tell us why this couple should not be wed this day." the Justice of the Peace said.

"Because she's a witch," I stated bluntly. Again the congregation gasped.

"Excuse me?" Nancy shrieked, stomping over to me. "What did you call me?"

I figured I had nothing to lose so I said calmly, "A witch. And you are also something that rhymes with it to."

Again she screamed, and the church gasped. _Jeez, all the need is popcorn, because their so into it! _I thought.

My father stalked over to me, grabbed my tie, and said with his face inches from mine, "What did you call her?"

Feeling bold I foolishly said, "Gosh Dad, do you need a hearing aid? I'm pretty sure I've said it twice already but ok. I CALLED HER A B****" I yelled it in his face. This was the first time I had cussed.

His face turned from pink, to red, to purple, as his anger rose. Flames in his eyes showed me just how much he wanted to kill me for saying that.

He rose his fist and brought it down on my head with all the power he had.

It took all of my willpower to not blackout. I rose my shaky hand to my stinging face, to feel something warm and wet pouring out of my face.

Anger rose inside me, and I yelled to his face, "I HATE YOU POPPA," I screamed. "I HATE YOU AND THAT VILE WOMAN!"

I dropped the crutches, and limped on my cast out of the church with a hundred eyes staring at my back.

I never looked back, and nobody tried to stop me.

I walked and walked, until I couldn't walk anymore. I was in the middle of nowhere, and my leg hurt like crazy.

Big, dumb me had pretty much condemned myself to death.

_Oh, well. I'll just find a town and start all over._ I though to my self.

That night I fell asleep thinking about how great my life was going to be with out _him._

**Thanks for reading. I don't know when I'll update again.**

**I may update sooner if you review (hint, hint)**

**In the next chapter-**

**I looked in the window to see him.**

**Holding a small baby and looking happier than he ever had when he was around me. ****My heart sank further.**


	11. Saviors

**I know I haven't updated in a while, but I was... well... there's really no excuse. I was just forgetfull. I hope this long chapter makes up for it though...**

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Twilight characters.**

**Saviors**

It had been officially been a year since my disappearance after the wedding, nut could you blame me? She was an evil, vile, nasty, inconsiderate, little bad word. It hadn't been all that bad.

I walked for three days on my bad leg, exhausted, dehydrated, and incredibly weak. Luckily, I stumbled upon a small town in the middle of nowhere. I found an seemingly abandoned house. I probably should have realized from the food and running water that someone lived there.

I was sitting on the couch, reading a book I found on the shelf when she came in.

A young woman, about twenty years old, holding shopping bags she must have carried the whole way home as this house was on the outskirts of town. She shrieked loudly when she saw me, dropping her bags. I was shocked to say the least, but I could tell she was more so.

After ten minutes of reassurances that I wasn't going to kill her, she was silent. Her calculating eyes looked over me. The piercing stare of her light green eyes unnerved me, as if I was under a microscope.

The silence was broken when she finally spoke out, with a bit of an accent, "So what's your story kid?"

I sat there, uncomfortable, before I could say anything. "I ran away from home," I started, looking straight into her shocked eyes. "My leg is broken pretty badly, I've been walking on it for days, and all I need is a place to stay."

Her hard eyes lost a bit of there edge as I talked. We were silent again.

"I guess you could stay here for a little while, but you have to work for your food." She told me as if it didn't matter at all.

I, however, was elated. I had somewhere to stay, away from my father and _her_.

Thoughts of hope swirled through my brain. Maybe this girl will be nice. Maybe I could someday get a job in town, and find a place of my own. Maybe someday I would find the woman of my dreams. I sighed a word of thanks to her.

I then realized something amazing, I was my birthday. I was thirteen, living away from my parents, and I couldn't be happier.

The days passed slowly. At first, I couldn't do much for my savior, Rosie Susan Johnson. Every day I thanked her for what she did. She and I both knew I would not have survived if she hadn't taken me in. For the first few weeks I could barely stand up by myself, and I didn't talk much. This seemed to suit us just fine.

Eventually I could walk, and then do small jobs for her. Eventually I was chopping wood and plowing the small fields she owned. On top of that I had found a job in town, saying I was fifteen and not thirteen and a half. Through all of his, I kept myself guarded, only telling her of the essential information.

I eventually opened up to Rosie, I told her everything, all the sorrow and happiness I had gone through in my short life. She was my best, and only friend I had at the time.

We became so close, I was almost like I had gotten a sister that was nearly eight years older than me. But like all brothers and sisters, we had our problems. We would fight, and scream at each other but we would always mend our wounds together, so to speak. We needed each other for survival.

We had an ongoing, unspoken deal. She found out I was a good hunter, so she used me to get good game, while she was a good cook and farmer. Together, we provided each other with enough food to fill our stomachs each day.

She let me stay in her empty attic space, which wasn't so bad after you got past all of the cobwebs and the musty smell. The piles of random things were comforting, in a way.

Every night, before I went to sleep, I would stare at the ceiling, thinking about what my father was doing then. Was he washing the dishes, or getting a job, or hunting for food to feed the one her now loved instead of my mother? Eventually I would anger my self with bad thoughts of Nancy, and have to spend almost an hour to calm myself down before I settled into a disturbed, fitful night of sleep.

It had been almost a year when Rosie caught a cold. She said she was fine, but I could tell by the grey rings clouding the soft skin around her eyes and the way she would sweat with the heat and shiver violently with cold, she was not. Eventually she got so sick, she could barely get up and walk around.

I called in the doctor to check on her, but he had no name for the mysterious disease that plagued her. There was only one person I knew that could figure this out for me. My heart sank as I began to plan my journey to save her life.

I left her with food within reach, to last a week, and a note saying I would be back as soon as possible. The note also said someone would be coming by daily to check on her, and she shouldn't die on me before I got back. My heart dropped as I left her. I felt like I was leaving her to die.

Taking one of her fastest horses, I raced back to the one place I had been trying to get away from for a long time. The ride lasted about a day before I was back in the dreaded town I used to call home.

I could remember every pebble of the roads, and easily maneuvered through the streets. Without thinking, I led the horse all the way back to my old home.

_It can't hurt just to look, _I thought to myself. I didn't realize what a mistake it was.

I walked slowly through the light dusting of mid-December snow, to the window I knew was the living room's. I looked in the window to see him.

He was holding a small baby, and looking happier than he ever was around me. My heart sank further. I crouched there watching for a minute or two.

He was smiling and laughing at every sound the little baby made. I examined his face carefully; it seemed he was healthier, happier and stronger than he was when I was living with him. I was curious as to why that was.

With every passing thought, I got more and more sad. The depression that had settled heavily on my shoulders, shifted to a fiery anger when I saw the wicked witch come in, and take the child from him.

I couldn't take the heat any longer. I yelled, very loud. Before I could realize what I had done, he looked and saw me.

I froze to watch the many emotions cross my father's now ashen face. Anger, confusion, sadness, joyfulness, and what could only be described as desperation all competed for dominancy on his face. The one emotion that one out was one I could describe. But before I could figure out what it was, the evil one turned, and looked straight at me. There was no mistaking what she was feeling.

She quickly put the baby down in a small playpen, and started for the door. Before she could get there, my father desperately tried to stop her. She fought him aggressively, and just before she broke free my father shouted the greatest word of wisdom I had heard from his mouth, "RUN!"

I found my feet, and quickly ran to my horse. About when the house was to disappear from my sight, she ran out side, and shook her bloody hand in the air at me. I knew she was shouting things at me, but the wind blew the words away before they could reach my ears.

I rode swiftly on the now paved roads, until I reached the hospital I knew held the person that could save my Rosie's life. I ran in and immediately requested no other than Dr. Carlisle Cullen. The nurse I yelled that to was obviously shocked at my urgency, and ran off the get him.

Exhausted, I collapsed into one of the chairs, and started to doze. My mind wandered to dark places. Questions formed, making a hurricane of words I could not control. Luckily, the storm was stopped when I was met with the pale, handsome face of Dr. Cullen.

"Emmet?" he whispered almost uncertainly. "Oh, Emmet! It is you. What happened to you? Where did you go? When did you get back? What are you doing here?"

He said all of this with such speed, it was hard to think between each question. "I would love to chat with you Dr. Cullen but my friend is desperately ill, and I need you to get the as soon as possible."

All excitement left his face, as he considered my words. "Then we must hurry. Where does your friend live?"

"About forty miles away." I answered.

His face went grave, "We must leave at once then."

We both strode out into the streets, got on our horses and rode like the wind. Even as we passed my old house, my mind never left the task I needed to fulfill; Saving my best friend's life.

_ **This was probably a suckish chapter, but oh well. I think this story will last a little longer to tie up some loose ends then finnaly the "vampiring" you could call it. I hope you don't think this story is stupid, and if you do thats fine I guess thats allright. I will try to update soon. Remember to review, even if you don't like it!**

**In the next chapter:**

**I paced worriedly in the next room, anxiously waiting the diagnosis of the disease that was eating away my friend's body, mind, and life.**


	12. Life Worth Living

Chapter 12: Life Worth Living

**Yes, I know I haven't updated this in a REALLY long time, but a good friend of mine (you know who you are) read this and, even though she hates _Twilight _she encouraged me to start writing it again :) thank you so much and don't forget to be awesome!**

**P.S. I have grown up a bit so the language may be a little different between then and now, but in a good way I hope :)**

**Life Worth Living**

Not a day goes by that I don't think of those horrible hours of waiting. The hours trickles past, seemingly slower every minute.

"Time is a funny thing," I remember thinking. "At one point it seems stable and even happily ticking by, but then fates cruel grip will force it to slow to an agonizing pace, torturing those who watch the clock."

That day, so long ago now, comes back to me with force.

_The doctor and I raced back to the house me and Rosie called home. We burst in the door to find her still on the couch, eyes closed, but breathing. That's really what kept me going that day when Dr. Cullen took her into the other room, knowing that she was still alive, even if just so._

"_I've lost too many!" I tell myself. "No one would make a person suffer this much!"_

_I paced worriedly in the next room, anxiously waiting the diagnosis of the disease that was eating away at my friend's body, mind, and life._

_A one point, I found myself sitting in a chair, blankly staring at the door, and faintly wondering how I had gotten there. Grief has a way of you that I guess, taking away bit of your life, until you are as confused as can be. Then when you try to get yourself back together, you are too unstable to get back. It will shake the ground beneath your feet until you fall to your knees and beg for it to stop._

_But there's one problem, grief also takes away your ability to talk, your ability to be brave, and your ability to hope._

_That's how I felt as I sat there, unsteady, cowardly, and hopeless._

_But hope is in human nature, so you cant help but hope when opportunity presents itself! That's how I felt hours later when Carlisle opened that door, his golden eyes glimmering in the fading sunlight._

_Eternity went by as I stared at him, before he said, "She is going to be just fine, Emmett."_

_I released the breath I had been holding, and tears welled up in my eyes yet again._

"_Thank you," I said weakly. "Thank you. You don't know what this means for me."_

_Later that day, I did get to see her, and though he was still frail, Dr. Cullen assured me that if she took her medicine and had plenty of rest, she would recover._

"_Thank you, Emmett," were the last word she said before falling asleep._

I still smile at the memory of her falling asleep with my name on her lips.

That was the moment that I realized I loved her.

Since then, she has been progressively getting better, and I send weekly report back to Dr. Cullen, who left a few days after he diagnosed her.

The days have been filled with laughter and smiles and so much happiness, I thought my heart would explode.

Who cares that she is older than me! Who cares about my father and that vile woman he thought he loved!

That wasn't love. I found love. And it is the best thing that has ever happened to me, because I finally found a life worth living.

**Thank you so much for reading! Hope you liked it! I know I enjoyed writing it :)**

**In the next chapter:**

**"You don't have to do this," she told me softly. "It's not going to prove anything."**

**"I proves that I'm stronger," I say as I knock on the door.**


	13. Am I Stronger?

**Ok! Two chapters in one day! I want to say thanks again to my friend switchfootlover13, who convinced me to continue writing! Hope y'all like it!**

**Chapter 13: Am I stronger?**

I was at another crossroads in my life. I always hated deciding things, and generally whatever I had chosen would end up in misery. But again, I stand facing those same two roads. One of cowardice and fleeing, the other of standing tall, and facing my fears.

I want to be strong like Rosie was when she was sick, and I want to be strong for her now. I can't back down or back off because I'm scared. So I have to go down that path I am so frightened to go down. But I'm afraid I wont be able to turn back.

A few days ago, Rosie and I received a letter from Dr. Cullen. While this was not unusual, the contents of the letter was. It was an invitation for dinner at my fathers. That day when I had raced into town and had peeked into the window of my old house, my father had followed me to what I was up to. He had seen me and the doctor ride off, and later saw Carlisle return.

Apparently he had been pestering Carlisle to send word to me the entire year it had been since Rosie's sickness, and it wasn't till now that Carlisle had conceded.

Rosie and I rode slowly into the old town, not much had changed. The house looked exactly as I had left it years ago. We strode up the dirty walkway, and I reached out to knock on the door. I faltered though, remembering the last confrontation that had occurred between me and my dad.

I felt the burn of shame mixed with anger when I think about telling him I hated him.

"You don't have to do this," she told me softly. "It's not going to prove anything."

"It proves that I'm stronger," I say as I knock on the door. With each knock a new memory of this house comes back to me: My mother singing while doing chores, Annabelle telling me fairy tales, my father helping me hang up my track medals. But also bad memories: meeting Nancy, Annabelle dying, my father drawing back his hand to slap me.

I almost run away at that thought. "No!" I tell myself forcefully. "Not again."

Eventually there are footsteps and the door creeks open. There stood the man that I called my father for 13 years before realizing he was not a father to me. He was always a symbol of hate and abuse in my mind. But the man who stood before me seemed small, weak, and had a happy look in his eyes when he saw me.

"Oh, Emmett!" He cried, then went to give me a hug. "I've missed you so much!"

Confused, I stepped back from his embrace, trying to figure out what he was getting at.

"_He can't be happy to see me! He hates me! What's he trying to do?" _I think to myself.

He led us into the dining room, where introductions were made. Nancy looked spitefully in my direction before turning to Rosie with a sickeningly sweet smile. She then graciously introduced us to Sammi, their one-and-a-half year old daughter.

The evening went on with tangible tension between us all. Awkward passing of stories went on until everyone was finished. Nancy gallantly led us to the living room where we again sat and talked little.

"Umm, Emmett? I'd like to speak with you in private." Nancy said after a long pause.

I looked to Rosie who nodded encouragingly, before standing up to join her.

She led me down the familiar hallways to where my bedroom was. But the was nothing familiar about it.

All of the medals and trophies were gone, replaces but frilly, little stuffed animals, and where my desk, and all of hunting gear was, there was a crib and diapers.

"This is Sammi's room," she said proudly. "Do you like it"

"What happened to all of my things?" I say, hating the happy gleam in her eyes when I asked.

"Well we couldn't keep everything! There wouldn't be enough room for Sammi's things," she said, feigning innocence.

She started walking around the room, talking about how great it was to decorate and the entire time, rage was building inside of me. Who does she think she is? Pretending I am nothing more than a fly buzzing around, ruining her perfect existence. But what do I care, This woman will never be anything more than a thief who stole my father.

"Are you ok?" she asked, obviously not caring at all for my answer.

"Yeah," I say stoically. "Just a lot of memories in this room, like _my _mother."

"Oh yes, John told me about her. Such a shame what happened," she said. The little gleam in her eyes showed that she really didn't care, and that pushed me over the edge. The anger just burst out and I wanted nothing but to hurt this woman.

"She was the greatest woman I have ever known, and my father deserves another person like her. _Not like you!_"

She smiled at my outburst, happy to have pushed my buttons. "You know he was happy when you ran away. Your father I mean. He wouldn't stop going on about how much he hated having to look after you, and how horrible you were to him as a child."

I faltered. No. No, it wasn't true. He wouldn't say that. He couldn't. This is what she wants. She want you to feel hopeless. But unfortunately that was exactly how I felt.

She continued. "He never loved you, you know. He only took care of you because that weakling mother of yours would have wanted that. He doesn't care one bit about you. He never has and he never will."

I backed out of the room, and sped for the living room, where I grabbed Rosie roughly and started dragging her toward the door. My face was burning and my vision was blurred with tears.

"Emmett, where are you going?" came my father's worried voice. He came down the hallway after us.

He reached out to grab my arm, but I shook him off.

"What do you care?" I asked, my voice breaking. "You've never cared! Not once in my whole life!"

Confused, he backed away, clearly hurt by my words.

"I meant what I said at the church that day," I say with venom lacing every word. I couldn't help it, I wanted to hurt the man who had hurt me my entire life. "I hate you."

I then grabbed Rosie and walked out the door, not looking back.

but then my father's voice called out to me, "It doesnt matter what you think of me! Just remember Emmett, I will always be proud of you."

That's what broke me. Seven words that I will never forget. Seven words that went along with my three.

I went to show I was stronger, but there are some things a man can't handle.

**So yeah! The hatred continues! I hope you are enjoying the story and review to make it better!**

**In the next chapter:**

**"What happened that day, Emmett?" she asked me. "You've changed since then."**


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